Loose-leaf binders



Filed March 12, 1958 INVENTOR. JOHN MAC LEAN, DECEASED BY JOHN R. MACLEAN, ADMINISTRATOR ATTORNEY 2,957,477 Patented Oct. 25, 1966 LOOSE-LEAFBINDERS John MacLean, deceased, late of Pueblo, Colo., by John R.MacLean, administrator, Pueblo, Colo.

Filed Mar. 12, 1958, Ser. No. 720,878 8 Claims. (Cl. 12924) Thisinvention relates to binders for maintaining a plurality of sheets inassembled relation, and more particularly to loose-leaf binders adaptedto retain a plurality of punched sheets of paper, metal, plastic,cardboard, cloth and the like, and to permit easy addition andsubtraction of punched sheets to and from the remainder of the sheets.

Loose-leaf binders for punched sheets, as commonly known, have sufferedfrom the great disadvantage that the punched sheets carried by thebinder tended to wear through and tear in the region of the punchedholes, especially between the hole and the adjacent edge of the sheet.As the sheets were turned over the rings, they rubbed against the ringsand caught in irregularities on the rings, with the result that theysoon became torn in the region of the holes and came loose from thebinder. This tendency of punched sheets to tear loose from theloose-leaf binders of the prior art was so prevalent that it became awell known expedient to reinforce the region of the holes of a punchedsheet with small rings of gumrned material;

and indeed, these gummed' reinforcing rings have become a common stapleof oflice equipment.

In an effort to overcome the above disadvantages, a number of expedientshave been tried. For example, it has been proposed to greatly multiplythe number of rings in a loose-leaf binder, thereby cutting down theamount of wear inflicted by each ring upon a given sheet. However, thisexpedient has resulted in greatly increased cost of manufacture, and ina rather complicated mechanical device having a number of separablerings of which only a few meet squarely and fit tightly together. Therings which did not meet or which were misaligned presented sharp edgesand crevices which further tore the sheets. In other efforts to overcomethese difficulties, it has been proposed to form the interengagingportions of the ring halves in such a manner as to present a minimum ofinterruptions in the smooth curve of the closed ring; but even so, themere frictional wear imposed by dragging the sheets over the rings wasstill sufficient to tear out the sheets. Thus, persons turning thesheets inevitably tended to pull on them while doing so, with the resultthat no matter how smoothly the ring was constructed, the sheets wouldultimately wear through and tear out.

Although a number of attempts were made to overcome the foregoingdifficulties and other disadvantages of the prior art loose-leafbinders, none, so far as is known, was entirely successful when carriedinto practice commercially on an industrial scale, other than thoseheretofore proposed by the present inventor.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a loose-leafbinder which will receive and accommodate a plurality of sheets and willhold these in such manner as to be readily accessible, and which willretain the individual sheets and the entire quantity against accidentalor casual displacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a binder to receive andhold sheets in a position to be retained against displacement and yet tobe readily available for reference, and in which one or several sheetscan be added or removed to or from any desired place.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a loose-leaf binderadapted to retain a plurality of punched sheets, in which the sheetswill not wear through nor tear out despite frequent or repeated use. I

It is a further object of the invention to provide a loose leaf binderin which the frictional wear between the binder and the punched sheetsis practically eliminated.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a loose-leafbinder enabling the filing and removal of sheets with marked ease, andat the same time preventing accidental or inadvertent removal or escapeof the sheets.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide loose-leafbinders which will be easy and inexpensive to manufacture, simple inoperation, and rugged and durable in use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a consideration of the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a loose-leaf binder according to theinvention, showing the binder open;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 22 ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the binder open withthe punched sheets removed;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the ring and bracketassembly of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a further enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portionof the bracket of the present invention; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a ring usable in connectionwith the present invention showing the ring in its open position.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, there is shown in Figure1 a plan view of an open loose-leaf binder according to the presentinvention indicated generally at 1 and having a baseboard 3. Baseboard 3is shown to have a cover board swingably connected to it, but thepresence or absence of a cover board forms no part of the presentinvention. Hence, it is to be understood that the term binder as used inthis specification includes binders having a baseboard only, as Well asbinders having in addition a cover board. Secured in spaced apartrelationship on baseboard 3 is a pair of stanchions 5 having upstandingears with turned-over ends which carry between them a cross shaft 7which is parallel to and spaced from baseboard 3. In the illustratedembodiment, cross shaft 7 is rigidly fixed in the turned-over ends ofstanchions 5, but it is immaterial whether cross shaft 7 is fixed orrotatable therein.

Mounted for rotation on cross shaft 7 is a pair of spaced brackets 9. Inthe illustrated embodiment, brackets 9 are rotatable relative to crossshaft 7, but it is immaterial whether they rotate relative to crossshaft 7 or with cross shaft 7, and the term mounted for rotation on asused in connection with the mounting of the brackets on the cross shaftin this specification is intended to apply to either arrangement.

Each bracket 9 is comprised of an integral elongated strip of metal bentso as to have three principal portions 11, 13 and 15. The first portion11 is flat except at its free end which is bent to roughly cylindricalshape at 17 to provide a cylindrical sleeve which serves as a bearingsleeve for mounting bracket 9 for rotation on cross shaft 7. Theremainder of portion 11 extends radially from cross shaft 7 and isdisposed in a plane which includes the axis of cross shaft 7. Firstportion 11 tenninates away from cross shaft 7 at a bend line 19 at whichit joins second portion 13. At bend line 19, second portion 13 extendsat approximately a right angle from first portion 11 to its end remotefrom first portion a 11 where it bends about to form an eye 21; Bendline 9 19 and the bend of eye 21 are parallel to each other and to crossshaft 7. In the region of eye 21, the strip bends entirely back uponitself to commence third portion 15 which, adjacent its right end asviewed in the figures of the drawing, is coextensive and in contact withsecond portion 13. has a. pair of integral tabs 23 on each side edgethereof, each of which is bentup and over the corresponding side edgesof second portion 13 so as to secure together second and third portions13 and 15 in this region.

Third portion 15 continues on beyond first portion 11 a substantialdistance to the left as seen in the figures of the drawing andterminates a substantial distance on the side of first portion 11opposite second portion 13 in a free end 25 disposed in a plane roughlyperpendicular to that. of first portion 11. A pair of tabs 27 is struckup from the material of free end 25 on the same side as first portion11, and these tabs 27 penetrate and are bent back upon a conventionalthrowboard 29 to secure the throwboard rigidly in assembled relationshipwith brackets 9.

It will also be noted that brackets 9 form in effect T-shaped membershaving a leg comprised by first por tion 11 and a crosspiece comprisedby second and third portions 13 and 15.

Each bracket 9 is provided with a slot 31 therethrough which extendslengthwise and centrally of the strip comprising bracket 9 intermediatethe length of the strip. One end 33 of slot 31 is disposed in firstportion 11 a short distance from bend line 19. Slot 31 then continuesthroughout the entire length of second portion 13 and the contiguousportion of third portion 15 and terminates at its other end 35 in thirdportion 15 a short distance on the side of first portion 11 oppositesecond portion 13.

A conventional loose-leaf binder. ring 37 is disposed in part in slot31. Ring 37 is made up of a pair of half rings 39 and 41 interconnectedat one pair of adjacent ends by a pivot pin 43 which extendstherethrough and extends a substantial distance on each side thereof. Attheir opposite ends, half rings 39 and 41 are releasablyinterconnectable by the usual grooves disposed in complementaryinterlocking ends 45 and 47, respectively. The assembly of half ringsand pivot pin as shown in Figure 6 is an ordinary item of commerce andby itself forms no part of the novel subject matter of the presentinvention.

In assembled relationship, ring 37 is mounted on bracket 9 substantiallycoaxially of cross shaft 7. Pivot pin 43 is disposed within the bend ofeye 21 and is of substantially the same length a the width of the stripcomprising bracket 9 in this region and hence, pin 43 bridges slot 31and terminates at its opposite ends at the opposite side edges of thestrip comprising bracket 9. The adjacent end of half ring 39 is mountedon pivot pin 43, and a substantial distance from pin 43 half ring 39 isfirmly secured between ends 33 and 35 of slot 31.

Thus, half ring 39 is firmly grasped at several pointsalong its lengthand is held rigid and immovable relative to bracket 9. On the otherhand, half ring 41 is mounted at its adjacent end on pivot pin 43 forswinging movement between open and closed ring positions relative tohalf ring 39 and hence relative to bracket 9. The closed ring positionis shown in Figure 2 and the open ring position is shown in Figure 3.During the course of assembly of pivot pin 43 within eye 21, pin 43 willordinarily be grasped and held firmly against rotation relative tobracket 9 so that half ring 41 will swing relative to pivot pin 43; butit makes no difference whether pin 43 rotates with swinging movement ofhalf ring 41 or whether it remains stationary at all times. Hence, whenhalf ring 41 is described in thi application as mounted on the pivot pinfor swinging movement, it is intended that either arrangement beincluded.

It will be noted that throwboard 29 is substantially,

tangential to ring 37 In this coextensive region, third portion 15'According to a suitable method of construction of a loose-leaf binderaccording to the present invention, a fiat strip of metal is stamped toform slot 31 and tabs 27 and the end opposite tabs 27 is bent over as at17. Bend line 19 and eye 21 are formed, and an open ring assembly asshown in Figure 6 is slipped through slot 31 until pivot pin 43 seats ineye 21, whereupon tabs 23 are bent up around second portion 13 andclinched. Throwboard 29 may be added to bracket 9 at any convenientstage by impaling. it on tabs 27 which are then bent away from eachother down onto the throwboard, but preferably this is done before ring37 is added. Cross shaft 7 is then inserted through the bracket bearingsat 17 and secured in the earsof stanchions 5 which in turn are securedto baseboard 3 as by riveting.

In use, with the throwboard in the open position of Figures 1, 2 and 3,half ring 41 is swung open to receive a plurality of punched sheets 49through the holes thereof and then swung closed. When throwboard 29 isswung over to closed position, rings 37 turn with it through the holesof sheets 49, but since there is no tension on sheets 49 this rotarymotion of ring 37 about the axisof cross shaft 7 imposes no substantialstrain or wear on the sheets. Then, when it is desired to open thebinder at some location intermediate the height of the stack of punchedsheets, the throwboard and the upper sheets are grasped and turned backtoward open position, whereupon the rings 37 turn with the throwboardand with the upper sheets. In thus handling the upper sheets, it isinevitable that they be pulled against rings 37, but since rings 37 turnwith them, there is no undue strain or wear on the sheets which areturning. As before, the sheets which remain are unstressed and remainundamaged. Accordingly, it will be clear that with regard to the sheetswhich would ordinarily become damaged in handling, there is nosubstantial movement of these sheets relative to the rings which carrythem, and hence, damage to any of the sheets carried by the binder isminimal.

In view of all of the foregoing, it will be obvious that the initiallycited objects of the invention have been achieved.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated inconnection with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood thatmodifications and variations may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of thefirst leg being rotatably mounted at its free end onthe.

cross shaft, a ring comprised of a pair of separable half rings mountedon the bracket adjacent the junction of said first and second-legs andsubstantially coaxial with the cross shaft, and. a throwboard mounted onthe second bracket leg.

2. A loose-leaf binder as claimed in claim 1, one of the half ringsbeing rigidly secured to the bracket and the other of the half-ringsbeing swingable relative to the bracket.

3. A. loose-leaf binder comprising a baseboard, a cross shaft supportedonand parallel to the baseboard, a T- shaped-bracket having a legand acrosspiece having a pair of free endsoneon each side of the leg, the legbeing rotatably mounted at its free end on the cross shaft, a ringcomprised of a pair of separable half rings carried by the bracketsubstantially coaxial with the cross shaft, a pivot pin mounted on onefree end of the crosspiece, one half ring being mounted on the pivot pinfor swinging movement between open and closedvring posi-s tions relativeto the other half ring, and a throwboard mounted on the other free endof the crosspiece on the side of the leg opposite said one free end ofthe crosspiece.

4. A loose-leaf binder as claimed in claim 3, the other ring half beingrigidly secured to the bracket.

5. A loose-leaf binder comprising a baseboard, a cross shaft supportedon and parallel to the baseboard, a bracket comprising a strip havingthree portions along its length, the first portion being rotatablymounted at its free end on the cross shaft, the second portion extendingat an angle away from the first portion, the third portion extendingback along the second portion and terminating a substantial distancebeyond the first portion on the side of the first portion opposite thesecond portion, the first and second portions having a first bendtherebetween and the second and third portions having a second bendtherebetween, the first and second bends being parallel to each otherand to the cross shaft, a ring mounted on the bracket substantiallycoaxially of the cross shaft, the ring being comprised of a pair of halfrings, a pivot pin mounted on the bracket within the second bend, onehalf ring being mounted on the pivot pin for swinging movement betweenopen and closed ring positions relative to the other half ring, and athrowboard mounted on the free end of the third portion of the bracket.

6. A loose-leaf binder as claimed in claim 5, the other half ring beingrigidly secured to the bracket.

7. A loose-leaf binder comprising a baseboard, a cross shaft supportedon and parallel to the baseboard, a bracket having first and second legsdisposed substantially at right angles to each other, the first legbeing rotatably mounted at its free end on the cross shaft, a ringcomprised of a pair of separable half rings mounted on the bracketadjacent the junction of said first and second legs and substantiallycoaxial with the cross shaft, the second bracket leg being elongated anddisposed lengthwise in a direction parallel to a tangent of the ring,and a throw board mounted on the free end of the second bracket leg.

8. A loose-leaf binder as claimed in claim 7, one of the half ringsbeing rigidly secured to the bracket and the other of the half ringsbeing swingable relative to the bracket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,299,276 Whitlock Apr. 1, 1919 1,441,140 Wirt Jan. 2, 1923 1,964,252Dawson June 26, 1934 2,724,387 MacLean Nov. 22, 1955

